Statewide, Texas's median home price runs $301,806, 28% below the $420,000 national median. The 3.8x price-to-income ratio here is measured against a $79,721 median household income.
Texas's 1.4% average property tax rate runs above the 1.1% national average, working out to $352/month on the median home here.
Texas charges no state income tax. Every dollar of the $79,721 median household income here converts more directly into covering the $2,020/month payment.
Texas's cost of living index is 91, below the 100 national baseline. That's on top of the housing numbers above, not instead of them.
Texas's median home price runs 1% higher than Illinois: $299,900 there versus $301,806 here.